


Noah Czerny's Best Friend

by notthehighkingedmund



Category: Raven Cycle - Maggie Stiefvater
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-14
Updated: 2016-12-14
Packaged: 2018-09-08 11:15:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 605
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8842573
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/notthehighkingedmund/pseuds/notthehighkingedmund
Summary: What makes a best friend?





	

Who's your best friend?

He listens when you ramble, follows when you run, laughs when you joke.  
You follow him wherever, speed through the streets, discuss homework and ley lines and everything else that he wants to talk about.

You teach him to skate, he teaches you to speak Latin phrases. You show him your bands, he shows you his research.  
People think it's weird that a kid like you and a kid like him are friends, but that's the best part about it. Being weird.

He jumps on tables to dance along to your favourite song because you asked, and in return you help him look for a sleeping king.  
______________________________________

Who's your best friend?

His money is gone and he's distraught. You're losing him to society, so you promise to do whatever is needed to save him.  
The ley lines become a priority - no more dancing on tables or speeding through the night in your mustang.  
The music only plays in headphones, now a distraction to his search.

You go many sleepless nights trying to find the king that does nothing but sleep.  
You're failing your classes because you keep skipping school, and reading about energy in the earth instead of French.

Your parents are worried.  
______________________________________

Who is your best friend?

You're standing in a forest, waiting for your next instruction.  
You spoke the Latin you were told to, brought objects he said would help - read the ritual notes over and over until you couldn't see words any more.

He's muttering something and you look to ask him to repeat.  
Crack!

You're on the ground, crying out in pain. Hand on your cheek where the wheel of your skateboard struck it. And he's above you, bringing it down again and again and...  
______________________________________

Who's your best friend?

He's following you, but he doesn't know it's you. Can he even see you any more?  
You don't know.  
A hand gingerly brushes over the smudge of your cheek, passing through the hole.  
You haven't tried to touch a skateboard since that day.

They're looking for the king too, but this time it's okay.  
This time you can't get hurt - these boys aren't selfish.  
These boys are your friends.

He's threatening your friends, still after the sleeping king's wish - killing you wasn't enough to quench his thirst.  
None of your friends are safe with him on the hunt.  
You wish you could do more to help.  
______________________________________

Who's your best friend?

He's dying. You watch him get trampled by thousands of hooves.  
Some would call it justice. Others, sick.  
You don't know what you'd call it.  
If you could still feel much of anything, you'd probably feel a sick tinge of happiness as you watch a hoof smash through his cheek.

The irony.  
______________________________________

Who's your best friend?

They hunt for a sleeping king, whilst also searching for themselves.  
They don't mind that you're a ghost. She lets you pet her hair anyway, even if your hands are cold.  
You get glittery presents that you can't always hold. Maybe one will throw you out a window for a laugh - but you forgive him.

You're taught new music, new slang - shown new cars and new people to read.  
It's all new and exciting and yet on some days you've learnt it all before.  
You're still learning about time.

You care about them more than you thought a ghost capable of. Did you ever really think about how much a ghost could feel anyway?  
They do.  
They ask you.

You tell them that this ghost would die for each and every one of them, if he could.


End file.
